So are Pellets out or in ? I see Wolf does not feed his birds pellets at all. As previously mentioned,this is a total conundrum for bird owners. So, if not Roudybush, then what Pellets should we be feeding? Or are any Pellets good to feed at all ? There are just way to many varying opinions here on what to feed our birds. I feed my Senegal Fresh Fruit and Vegetables in the morning for Breakfastand Nutri-Berries in the Evening. So, if I should be eliminating the Nutri-Berries, what should I feed in its place ?

Well, I don't feed pellets and neither did Wolf. I feed gloop and raw produce for breakfast and seeds/nuts for dinner with a multivitamin/mineral supplement twice a week (Wolf did the same) but if you are going to feed pellets, I would suggest you use Tops which are organic, made with human grade ingredients (the only one), no soy (the only one) and naturally derived vitamins and minerals (the only one) but you need to supplement vit D3 OR expose the bird to direct sunlight so it can produce it itself because they don't use anything that would provide it in the pellet (that's because vit D3 is only found in animal products which are not healthy for parrots).

Like I said, I have nothing against nutriberries because, to tell you the truth, I seriously doubt the birds eat anything else but the seeds in them and I have nothing against seeds (they are part of their natural diets) but you need to take into consideration that the bird might not be getting enough vit D3.

To be honest, I'm not a big fan of Pellets for birds. Yet others swear by them. My finches eat seedsbecause finches are seed eaters. If I offered my Senegal a "parrot blend" she would pick out all ofthe Sunflower seeds and eat nothing else. So I quickly stopped offering that type of food. Fresh is best, so I offer Fresh Fruit & Veggies for breakfast, which she loves, even though she has her preference for certain veggies over others. But she does eat the Nutriberries in the evening.I don't really plan on offering her Pellets again ..... she refused them when I did offer them.I tried Pellets on the finches and my Senegal .... they refused to eat them.

Bird ownership is a learning experience, and I love nothing better than to pick the minds of otherbird owners. It's fascinating and such a good learning experience....

Hi, Sraisen and Gray, welcome to the forum! There are a few gloop recipes in this same section - from the easiest one made with Kashi 7 Whole Grains Pilaf to the most complicated made with grains bought separately and cooked in batches but you can 'design' your own because glop is basically a dish made out of al dente whole grains and thoroughly cooked pulses mixed with chopped or small-sized veggies (which are added frozen to the cooled grain/pulses mix). There is no recipe here for the PDD one as that is one I made for my own avian vet many years ago (she had taken in a cockatoo with PDD after the owners did no longer want the bird when it was diagnosed with the disease) but it was basically the same recipe as the most complicated one only cooked to a softer degree (for easier digestion and less irritation to the crop), only it had supplements added to it (digestive aids, crop and proventriculus lining protectors and immune system boosters). Do you have a bird with PDD?

Once I bought some Nutriberries for Bluebell, and she didn't touch them. Not sure about Ducky though. I haven't bought them since, and I don't plan on buying them again because they're just seeds with some dried fruit. I'm guessing he would like them because he basically likes everything (except yucky bell peppers!) but Bluebell has always been a picky eater. I'm also confused with the pellet vs. seed debate, I've always fed pellets (several brands, and with daily veggies and gloop) but now after what Pajarita said, I'm starting to change my thought about pellets. As to gloop recipes, I use a combination of red, black and brown rices, barley, quinoa, oat groats, lentils, buckwheat, and several other cooked grains. I also put in veggies such as carrots, corn, and peas, and add some chia and flax. In addition, I feed fresh produce such as dark leafy greens, broccoli, and carrots, seed treats, and the occasional piece of cashew or walnut. Pajarita, what do you think? I'm definitely going to eliminate the Roudybush, keep the TOP's pellets, but I'm not sure about what to do with the Harrrison's. Also, where can you get vit D3 supplement for parrots? I want my birds to be as healthy as they can be.

Dear Pajaruta Our very sweet Sylvie, only eight years old is very ill with PDD. She is in our avian specialist medical center getting Gavage feedings this week. If she turns around and comes home with us ,I would like to feed her the healthiest stuff possible I'm also looking into medical cannabis from a veterinarian who knows about it. And also how to add some of those other supplements to her food that you mentioned in your letter. Thank you for any advice. We are new to this form. And really appreciate it best Shera

Oh, my dear, what heartbreak for you!!! PDD is such a terrible, terrible disease! I am soooo sorry your bird and you have to go through this. The supplements I used were the following:

Slippery elm, comfrey and yarrow flowers for soothing the mucosal lining of the crop and proventriculus.

Chamomille, cardamom and dill to help digestion.

Oregano, garlic and Echinacea for boosting immune system but never give Echinacea every day, do it for five days and rest for the other two.

Eliminate all spicy and acidic food (it would only irritate the mucosa and make it painful for the bird). Do not use pellets, use only fresh (wet!) food. If you must use pellets, soak them first (you don't want anything dry in her crop and proventriculus).

The cockatoo I was trying to help had to have his crop and proventriculus 'reconstructed' three times and would only eat peanuts which was a big problem - but he liked the gloop once he tried it and ate it until he was put down.

Trick or 'Tiel wrote: Pajarita, what do you think? I'm definitely going to eliminate the Roudybush, keep the TOP's pellets, but I'm not sure about what to do with the Harrrison's. Also, where can you get vit D3 supplement for parrots? I want my birds to be as healthy as they can be.

I think the diet your birds get is actually VERY good so I would not worry too much. If you feed pellets, unless you are only feeding Tops that have no lab-made supplements added, you don't need to give the birds anything else. But this is another aspect of pellets I don't like because pellets are made for the bird to eat nothing else (which is not healthy for them) so, when you are only offering pellets as a smaller part of their diet, you might not be providing enough D3 -and I say this because I know of birds that died of eggbinding even though they ate pellets. I give my birds a multivitamin/mineral supplement which is supposed to be given daily but I don't. I give them 1.5 of the daily dosage twice a week during the warm weather months and 1 daily dosage also twice a week during the cold weather months but I also supplement with Calciboost or Calcivet when the hens are laying. I have never had a single bird eggbound or even producing a soft or thin-shelled egg so, so far, so good.